Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls

$7.15 recipe / $1.79 serving

After finally figuring out how to cook tofu and actually have it taste good (see my Sesame Tofu with Broccoli), I couldn’t wait to make more. I used the same easy pan fry method, but this time combined the crispy tofu cubes with tangy sweet chili sauce, sweet bell peppers, creamy avocado, green onion, and cilantro, and the result was amazing. These Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls are THE BOMB (the flavor bomb, that is).

If you’ve never had sweet chili sauce before, it’s usually not very spicy (at least none of the brands I’ve eaten have ever been). It’s sweet, savory, and just a little bit tangy. It’s one of those all-purpose sauces that is good on just about anything. It should be really easy to find at Asian markets, in most larger grocery stores (check the international foods aisle), and specialty stores like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. If you can’t find it at any of your local stores, you can also try making it from scratch, although homemade tends to be a tad bit more spicy than the commercial bottle versions. Here are a couple recipes: Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (She Simmers), Clean Eating Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (ifoodreal.com), Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce (Life Tastes Like Food).

I was lucky because avocados AND red bell peppers were on special this week. Red bell peppers are usually quite expensive, though, so green bell peppers can be used in their place. I was going to use up the last of my fresh pineapple in this dish as well, but completely forgot. LOL. So, if you have some pineapple handy (canned or fresh), consider adding it to these delicious Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls.

Instructions

Remove the tofu from the liquid in the package, wrap it in a clean, lint-free dishcloth or a few paper towels, and press it between two plates with a weight on top for 30 minutes (see detailed step by step photos and instructions here). Once the excess moisture has been pressed out, cut the tofu into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes.

Season the tofu cubes with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cornstarch over top and then toss to coat. Repeat with the second tablespoon of cornstarch.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Once the skillet and oil are hot, add the tofu cubes and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Place the fried tofu in a large bowl.

Dice the red bell pepper and thinly slice the green onions. Pull the cilantro leaves from the stems and give them a rough chop. Slice the avocado.

Add the diced bell pepper to the bowl with the fried tofu. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce over top, then stir until the bell pepper and tofu are coated in the sauce.

To build the bowls, start with one cup cooked rice, then add 1/4 of the tofu and bell pepper mixture. Add a few slices of avocado to the side of the bowl, then sprinkle the sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds over top. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Step by Step Photos

Start with a 14oz. block of tofu. They’re usually packed in water, so you’ll want to remove the tofu from the water and press the tofu for about 30 minutes to remove the excess moisture. For detailed step by step photos on how to press the tofu, click over to this Sesame Tofu recipe.

A few of you told me about freezing tofu and how it changes the texture slightly, making it almost sponge-like so you can just squeeze it with your hands instead of pressing it. I tried that method this time. I could indeed squeeze the block with my hands to express the liquid, although it did begin to crack a bit (not bad for my first try with this technique). Squeezing it by hand also made the block a little misshapen, so I had to press it back into shape with my hands. This is the block sliced in half after squeezing.

Cut the pressed tofu into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes, then season with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp cornstarch over the cubes, then toss to coat. Repeat that with a second tablespoon of cornstarch, or until all sides have a good coating on them.

Heat 1-2 Tbsp of a neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable, peanut, light sesame) in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides. I used my stainless steel skillet last time, so I decided to experiment with a non-stick skillet. The non-stick obviously didn’t stick as much, but I think my last batch was a tad crispier (that could also be due to the freezing and pressing methods used this time).

While the tofu is frying (or after frying, if you don’t like to multi-task), dice a red bell pepper and slice 2-3 green onions. Pull a handful of cilantro leaves from the stems and give them a rough chop. Slice one avocado.

Place the fried tofu and diced bell peppers in a large bowl.

This is the sweet chili sauce that I used. I just noticed that this brand is gluten-free, which I’m sure a lot of you will appreciate! :D

Once the tofu and bell peppers are coated in sauce, it’s time to assemble the bowls. Start with 1 cup cooked rice, then add 1/4 of the tofu/bell pepper mixture. Add a few slices of avocado, then sprinkle green onion, cilantro, and a few sesame seeds over top. All done!

These Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls really do come together quickly and have quite a bit of flavor. My boyfriend, who had been joking about not wanting to eat tofu all week, remarked, “Mmm, a lot of different flavors in here!” #win

52 comments on “Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls”

Previously, when I’ve made this, it’s ended up a bit too sweet for my tastes. Tonight, I made a couple adjustments, and I think they made the bowl a lot more balanced!
First, I toasted the rice and cooked it with some toasted garlic and veggie broth for extra flavor. I didn’t have brown rice, but I think that also would have added some depth. Second, I added a little bit of very thinly sliced green cabbage to each bowl for extra color, crunch, and nutrition. Finally, in addition to the chili sauce, I splashed just a little bit of rice vinegar–maybe a 1/2 tsp or so–over the top of each bowl.

I made this last night and everyone loved it (I’ve got one gluten free kid, one vegetarian kid and a husband who loves tofu). This was my first time cooking with tofu and my first time eating it — and I must say it was pretty good. I used a little canned pineapple and sauteed the bell pepper, pineapple and half of the green onion (mostly the white parts) for just a couple of minutes after I emptied the tofu out of the skillet. Tofu is not nearly as intimidating as I thought it was!

Last night I was coming home from a crazy stressful day—my husband asked if he could help me with anything and I jokingly said “make dinner?”–he said sure!! He pulled up this budget bytes recipe which I said I planned on making, and made the whole thing-it tasted amazing!! I think that your pictures made the whole process a lot easier for him, and I’m excited that he enjoyed his time in the kitchen and was rewarded with a great meal!

I was afraid the sweet chili sauce would be too sweet (we got the Kroger version of Thai Kitchen), but once mixed in with everything, it really was the perfect amount of sweetness. Definitely a keeper in our dinner rotations!

Hi! I’m Beth

As a food lover and a number cruncher I've decided that cooking on a budget shouldn't mean canned beans and ramen noodles night after night. Join me for delicious recipes designed for small budgets. More »